Conventional soft sided garment bags are widely used by airline passengers because of convenience, as compared to hard sided luggage. The reasons for this are that folding softsided luggage is usually less expensive than hard sided luggage, lighter in weight, the overall thickness of the bag is only as thick as the amount of garments contained therein, the clothes only have to be folded once, such luggage can be easily carried on an airplane and placed in an overhead bin and doesn't have to be checked. The soft sided type of garment bags are structured to be carried by handle or by a shoulder strap. When travelers take advantage of the fact that the garment bag expands to hold all that can be stuffed therein, the bag and contents can often weigh 30-40 pounds. A bag of this weight makes it difficult to carry long distances with the handle or strap. Most conventionally available hard sided luggage has the advantage of wheels and handle devices for easy pulling behind the traveler. To date, garment bags have not been designed to accommodate wheels or towing type handles. Herein lies the need for a lightweight luggage device that combines the advantages of a garment bag noted above, and the portability of a wheeled hard sided luggage case.
Attempts to add wheels and handles to the garment bag have resulted in devices that solve some problems but add others. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,709 to Williams et al., 4,062,429 to Tabor et al., and 4,030,768 to Lugash, require travelers to push the garment bag upright in an unfolded position. The disadvantages are:
It requires that the bag be steered forward. Most travelers have found that pulling a piece of luggage behind them is easier than pushing luggage because no side to side manipulation or steering is needed for pulling.
These bags are also structurally complicated in terms of the number and complexity of additional parts required to provide the wheeled support and handle mechanism.
In addition to the patents identified above, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,383,141 and 4,354,583, both issued to Walker, have the disadvantages:
This bag structure raises the center of gravity, thus placing more weight on one's hand when moving the bag.
When these bags are left standing alone they are more easily tipped over than a folded garment bag with a lower center of gravity. This makes it inconvenient to the traveler when stopped at a ticket counter, shop, or rest room.
With respect to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,709 to Williams et al. and 4,062,429 to Tabor et al., the bags described therein are pushed forward with the full width of the bag facing the oncoming travelers. The wider a bag one is trying to push through a crowded airport, the more difficult it is to negotiate crowded areas. It is more difficult to maneuver through tight doorways, rest rooms, shops, and will not allow the traveler to wheel the bag down the narrow aisle of an airplane.
Other attempts to add wheels, handles, or frames to the garment bag are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,442,927, 4,411,344, 4,406,353, 4,383,141, all issued to Walker. All of these bags are pulled behind the traveler and have the same problem in that the bags are pulled in the direction of the maximum width instead of the narrowest width. In addition to, this there are other major drawbacks:
Some of the bags are pulled using a strap for a handle. This causes the wheeled garment bag to pull in towards the feet of the traveler, thus constantly bumping into the traveler's heel.
The bags are pulled with the width centered directly behind the traveler. This will also cause the bags to bump into the traveler's heel while walking.
Additionally, when carrying multiple bags, travelers have tried to stack baggage pieces on a folding luggage cart and secure the bags with an elastic type cord. The disadvantage of this is that:
When passing through a security checkpoint the entire load must be disassembled and individually passed through the checkpoint and then reassembled. Similarly, upon boarding an airplane the same sequence must take place with the use of a separate cart that results in additional apparatus that must be carried and stowed away. Sometimes this additional piece is not allowed on board.
Attempts have been made to provide a single piece of luggage that has a self-contained wheeling apparatus and that can be wheeled on an airplane and put in an overhead bin. These bags are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,116,289 to Pond et al., 4,995,487 to Plath, 4,792,025 to Thomas, and 4,254,850 to Knowles. The disadvantages with these types of apparatus are:
Since the overall storage dimensions are smaller than a garment bag, suits or dresses must be folded many times or rolled up in a spiral fashion. This creates creases in the garments and results in an unsightly appearance. PA1 To provide a garment bag that is pulled from behind, thus eliminating the need to be pushed and thus steered. PA1 To provide a garment bag that requires a minimum number of parts, is cost effective, and easy to manufacture. PA1 To provide a lower center of gravity thus making the garment bag easier to manipulate. PA1 To provide a garment bag that is stable and will not fall over when pulling, turning corners or when left alone. PA1 To provide a garment bag that is wheeled so that the bag rolls in the direction of its minimum width, thus also making it easier to maneuver through tight doorways, rest rooms, shops, and down an aisle of an airplane. PA1 To provide a garment bag that has a stiff pulling handle that keeps the bag away from the traveler's heels when being pulled. PA1 To provide a garment bag that has a handle that will keep the bag positioned off to one side of the traveler, thus also helping to keep the bag away from the traveler's heels when walking. PA1 To provide a garment bag that has a self-contained wheeled apparatus for transporting itself. PA1 To provide a garment bag that allows clothes such as suits and dresses to be folded a minimal number of times. PA1 To provide a garment bag that allows other pieces of luggage to be attached to it without adding extra apparatus such as hooks or complicated strap mechanisms.
Also, a disadvantage with all the above mentioned apparatus is that extra parts or complicated parts must be added that would allow additional luggage to be carried on it.
It is against this general background that the present invention has evolved.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: